Iran reformists arrested after Tehran riots

Source: London Times

Iran reformists arrested after Tehran riots

Protests in Tehran

At least 10 leaders of two Iranian reformist groups who backed defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi have been arrested after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election in a deeply-disputed vote sparked riots across Tehran.

The official IRNA news agency reported that two of those arrested were involved in orchestrating mass protests across the Iranian capital on Saturday that was unleashed after the results of the disputed election were known.

The demonstrations over incumbent hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election in a vote his opponents say was rigged led to rioting on a scale unseen in Iran for nearly a decade.

"At least 10 members of the Islamic Iran Participation Front and the Islamic Revolution Mujahedeen Organisation were arrested yesterday," said Rajab Ali Mazroei, a member of the front. The groups had given their staunch backing to Mr Mousavi in Friday's disputed poll which saw the former prime minister win just 34 per cent of the vote to 63 per cent for Mr Ahmadinejad.

Several of those arrested held senior government positions under two-time former reformist president Mohammad Khatami, who served from 1997 to 2005.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east...

So Ahmadinejad cannot guarantee the safety of Moussavi and assure that he won't be assassinated BUT he can make sure that those who are protesting his "election" are silenced.

Machiavelli said you must immediately eliminate opponents when you seize power.

He also wrote, "For this reason many believe that, when occasion serves, a wise prince will cunningly provoke opposition and then, by routing it, increase his own stature."

Lessons not wasted.

Published: June 15, 2009
TEHRAN, Iran - The Iranian authorities detained more than 100 prominent opposition members, and on Sunday unrest continued for a second day across Iran in the wake of the country's disputed presidential election.

The leading opposition candidate, Mir Hussein Moussavi, issued a fresh statement calling for the election results to be canceled, as his supporters skirmished with a vast deployment of riot police and militia members on the edges of a victory rally organized by the government in central Tehran.

Those arrested were from all the major opposition factions, including the brother of a former president, Muhammad Khatami. Some were released later in the day.

Oppostion Members Detained in a Tense Iran

so obviously fraudulent. And sent Moussavi out to announce his victory, only to snatch it away. To raise hopes and expectations, only to dash them and in doing so, make them so incensed it would ensure rioting. So they could crush them as a "teaching moment." :evilfrown:

Notice how the camera stops when one of the mullahs motorcycle thugs points him out
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=264_1245006036

http://cdnll-7.liveleak.com/s/18/media18/2009/Jun/14/13...

snip

"I had a meeting with Khatami this morning but he did not show up and I can not reach him on the phone. He is probably among the arrested," Mazroei said.

snip

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east...

Is it kinda like throwing *co in jail after his term expired ?

Interesting	MrBig	Jun-14-09 02:40 PM	#1
Oppostion Members Detained in a Tense Iran	steven johnson	Jun-14-09 03:27 PM	#2
that is why I believe they made the numbers so outrageous	northernlights	Jun-14-09 05:10 PM	#4
They failed to yeild the right of way and got traffic tickets	ohio2007	Jun-14-09 05:10 PM	#3
Khatami arrested pic	ohio2007	Jun-14-09 05:53 PM	#5